Oregon State
Arizona
No. 14 Softball Drops Game With Top-Ranked Arizona, 4-0
April 12, 2002 | Softball
April 12, 2002
CORVALLIS, Ore. - Top-ranked University of Arizona took advantage of a big first inning and solid pitching to knock off No. 14 Oregon State in Friday's Pacific-10 Conference softball game.
A pair of first inning walks proved costly for the Beavers (31-12, 4-3 Pac-10) as Arizona (36-5, 5-1 Pac-10) built an early 3-0 lead. Wildcat senior pitcher Jennie Finch doubled to left-center field, scoring Lovieanne Jung who led off the game with a walk. MacKenzie Vandergeest followed with a bloop single into right-center field that scored Leneah Manuma and Finch.
OSU looked to battle back in the bottom half of the first as Clare Burnum led off the frame with a single to left field. The Wildcat defense responded however, with a pair of put-outs at second base, bringing Shelly Prochaska to the plate. Prochaska roped a full-count pitch to right-center field, advancing Brynnen Guthrie to third on the play but Finch struck out Jessica King to end the Beaver rally.
Oregon State senior hurler Crystal Draper entered the game in the second inning after Jenny Gladding drew a leadoff walk against Beaver starter Monica Hoffman. Draper threw well, striking out six and allowing just one hit - a double by Vandergeest - over the middle innings of action.
"Crystal did a great job when she came in - she pitched a nice game," said OSU head coach Kirk Walker. "We can't give up three runs in the first inning against a team of that caliber and expect to be able to come out with the 'W'."
The Wildcats added another run in the sixth, when Gladding hit a two-out single up the middle, scoring Rebekah Quiroz who was pinch running after a Finch double.
Offensively the Beavers had five hits - three more than they had against Finch in two appearances last season - and had runners on base in five innings, but were unable to bring anyone across the plate.
Draper finished with 10 strikeouts in six innings of work, while Finch had eight K's for the Wildcats.
Oregon State returns to action on Saturday at 2 p.m. when the Beavers host No. 6 Arizona State.
GAME RESULTS:
No. 1 Arizona - 300 001 0 - 4 6 1
No. 14 Oregon State - 000 000 0 - 0 5 0
Hoffman, Draper (2) and Prochaska (OSU), Finch and Vandergeest (ARIZ). WP - Finch (21-1), LP - Hoffman (11-6). 2B - Finch, 2 (ARIZ), Vandergeest (ARIZ).
